


Arthur's Way

by Azile_Teacup



Category: Merlin (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 06:53:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1678835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azile_Teacup/pseuds/Azile_Teacup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fill for this prompt: Arthur/Gwaine (afterlife?)</p><p>"You didn't fail."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arthur's Way

**Author's Note:**

> Character deaths, mostly cannonical.

Percival lets Gwaine's head rest against his own, breath gasping into sobs. He can't be lost. Not Gwaine. Not Gwaine. Percival can't, not without Lancelot, not without Gwaine. He can't. But Gwaine's words; he failed. He told Morgana. Percival can't let that just flutter away. Gwaine stayed to tell him, so he could help. For Gwaine. He gets up and mounts his horse, galloping along the trail he has no trouble following in his anger.

**

Merlin holds onto Arthur, hands aching as time passes and he still sits there holding on. Arthur's still here as long as Merlin keeps his eyes shut. The pain burning out through him isn't there. The tears aren't there. The sobs from his hollow chest aren't there. He's gasping and choking but it doesn't matter if he keeps his eyes shut. He'll just keep his eyes shut and replay everything. 'Do you know how to walk on your knees?'. 

***

Percival finds Morgana's body, finds a marker for his king, a blazing light reaching up to the sky letting everyone know that Merlin's Arthur has died. Merlin's, because there's Merlin- eyes gold, standing on the edge of the lake. He turns to Percival and must read the grief in him because his eyes shut and his lips form Gwaine's name, tears squeezing out and down his face. Percival knows Merlin won't be coming back to Camelot, knows Arthur won't be either, knows everything ends here. 

****

As Leon announces Gwen as Queen, Percival realises that it all begins as well. A new age, with a queen leading them. A queen who is with child. There's hope and joy. None of which is Percival's to partake in, or Leon's from the stoic voice and tight shoulders. 

*****

Merlin wanders. He walks until he finds somewhere safe to lie down and then he sleeps. He wakes to a voice chanting, binding, and he can't be bothered to fight it. He closes his eyes and dreams of Arthur, uncaring of his binding, of the tree.

******

Arthur steps from the boat and wades to the shore, frowning at the woman waiting for him. She holds out her hand. He looks around, wondering where Merlin is- Merlin was there. 

"Arthur Pendragon. Excalibur is for my keeping now."

Arthur opens his mouth to deny her request, but pauses. Merlin's told him much in the hours of their searching, their hopeless journey. 

"Freya. Lady of the lake."

He bows. He's learnt enough now, it's enough. No more fighting this world of magic. Of good magic. 

"King Arthur."

He hands over his sword and she walks away, welcoming him with a gesture. He steps onto the isle and steps slowly, hand looking for his wound, fingers rubbing the place it isn't. He feels a low ache under his sternum, but that's for Merlin. Merlin on the shore, left alone. Arthur pauses, reaching for something to steady himself, feeling Merlin's grief wash over him. His own grief at loosing Merlin. 

"Sire."

Someone holds his arm and Arthur opens his eyes, to Gwaine's familiar face. No smile, no familiar grin. The grim lines and angles aren't entirely unfamiliar though, after all. He's seen Gwaine like this before battle, after the bloodshed, the quiet moments when no one's looking at or relying on him. Arthur knows the feeling. He squeezes Gwaine's wrist, holding tight.

"I told her where to find you. I gave in. I thought nothing would break me, no pain was more than I could bare. But she broke me like a weak-"

Arthur closes his eyes. Gwaine's too intense, too bright. He wants Merlin's soothing chaos instead. Merlin would soothe Gwaine's ruffled pride, his hurts. Both of their hurts. But Merlin's not here, so it falls to Arthur, as it should any way. He opens his eyes and meets Gwaine's in silence, waiting. Gwaine looks away.

"Don't."

And back. 

"You didn't fail. Not me. My knight, Sir Gwaine; you are my knight. First, best, unique. You are my fire, my secret weapon. Drunk and disorderly and you fight like nothing else in this world or the one we just left. You fight with heart and soul and mind and I would not bet even on myself against you. Not now."

"So I did win, all those years ago?"

"No. Not even close. You could never fail me, Sir Gwaine. Because whatever happens I know that from you I will always have your best. You give me everything you have and more, you do everything you can and keep on fighting. For friends and family and loyalty and it means more than a moment when everything... I watched a child burn, Gwaine. I broke too, more than once. For my father, for Gwenevere. For Merlin many times. For my uncle. Giving in is sometimes the right choice."

"Morgana, though."

"Morgana was a good person once. She was beautiful and fierce and protected me. I don't know what happened to her, but everything in her was lost. My sister died years ago. What was left was the clever darkness, the sly and bitter fierceness. Morgana could break anyone. She broke Merlin, the strongest and bravest man I've ever met gave in to her and tried to kill me. If Merlin gave in, why shouldn't we?"

Gwaine nods. They go on with their arms around one another, heading into the hill, to the banquet hall. They join Sir Lancelot and Sir Bedevere and Sir Owain and Sir Pellinor and many more, sitting drinking and dining. Arthur takes the head of the table and as he sips from the goblet, sleep takes them. They're here to rest.

*******

Merlin stirs. He can feels a shift in the air, something changing. His binding was never strong enough to hold him and now that he's waking, he breaks free. He's fed up with waiting, with time moving slowly without him. He's tired of dreaming of Arthur. The dreams have slowly faded from bright colour to black and white and now he feels a shift, a change in the wind. 

He steps out of his tree and looks around. Assesses the world. He uses his magic to reach into the earth and test the air, to listen to the creak of the trees and the high voices of birds. He dresses himself and turns to the closest town, reading the stories of history in the soles of his feet and on the tip of his tongue.

And then he buys a newspaper. 

The world is burning. Protests and failings and corruption, war and famine and fear. So much fear. People starving, striving, fighting, dying, losing hope. There is no hope in this cyclical power play where the greedy rule and claw their way up to the top in every society. There is no way to win. 

Merlin smiles and thanks the shop keeper in Welsh. He takes up a sturdy walking staff and takes to the roads. He lets his feet guide him and soon he's looking out over what used to be the lake. He remembers Arthur in his arms, asking to be held, telling Merlin it's enough, that it's over and his eyes burn. It's not time for grief, though. Not now. 

He stands on the spot he sent up his beacon centuries ago and throws his head back. He's old, but he's not done. He roars for the winds and the earth and the water. He calls and cries and pulls the pain of the world to him, calling for his king. The world is screaming, a chaotic and growing roar for Arthur. For their hope. Their beacon. 

And then they come. 

********

Arthur rides out, Gwaine at one side, Leon at the other. Behind them ride the knights of the round table, Gwenevere in their midst armoured like the rest of them. Arthur kicks horse into a trot and then a canter and then he's galloping, the hoof beats ringing in the earth, deeper and deeper, thundering their arrival. They come. A great host wreathed in light, riding out. A shining, bright boy at their head, sword held high. They ride out and they meet Merlin and they stand, ready for the new day, the new world. 

*********

They show the world that there is another way. The way that allowed Merlin and Gwen places in the highest court the country ever saw. The way that allowed knights to be commoners, that allowed a council to sit at a round table and sway a king's mind. The way that made Percival and Gwaine and Lancelot and Elyan and Gwen stand up to fight for Arthur against impossible odds. They show the world Arthur's way.

**********

After it all Arthur stands before Gwaine and bows his head, taking both of Gwaine's hands. He looks up into Gwaine's face, into the bright eyes, the amused smile, the deep sadness that rarely shows. They stand and wait. Gwaine looks away. 

"Don't."

Gwaine looks up, smile small and tired. 

"You never failed, did you? Look at what we've achieved. Every action any of us made lead to this."

Gwaine's smile grows.

"You didn't fail. Not me. Not ever."

"No. I didn't fail."


End file.
